New Oswestry festival could put Shropshire on the map
An event to put a Shropshire town well and truly on the tourist map could be held next year.
The event in Oswestry could include a week of markets, funfairs, sports, music and craft festivals as well as events to celebrate the town's history.
Town councillors have agreed to set up a working group to look at the idea, put forward by Councillor Chris Stokes.
One of the newer members of the town council, now chairman of its amenities committee, Councillor Stokes said that in his time on the council he had noticed that there were a great many groups doing great things in the town.
"There isn't however the will for them to join together as one body. So instead I would like to see Oswestry Town Council facilitate an exposition – a week of events, with all the organisations being able to showcase just how great the town is."
"We don't want people to know Oswestry as the place they pass on the way to Wales. Let's catch them and get them to call in as they go on holiday and as they come back from holiday."
Councillor Stokes said the council could supply street entertainment to support the town's own buskers and street artists and could also look at working with bus companies to ferry people to and from Gobowen station.
"We could even perhaps lay on a quirky street train to take people from the bus station into the town centre," he said.
"The Cambrian Railway could put on events and there could be history walks and talks which would encompass the hill fort and Oswestry Museum.
"Cae Glas Park could house craft marquees as well as brass bands, other music and sports tournaments. There would be a music festival in local hostelries and art exhibition, food and drink hall and daily markets.
"I hope this can put Oswestry back on the map and provide a stepping stone to get the markets back to health. We need to pull together all that is good in Oswestry by helping everyone realise their full potential."
Councillors have said the idea was well worth investigating and agreed to set up a working party. They agreed that it would take at least 12-18 months to put everything in place for the event.
